You are browsing the archives of August 2009.

Statistics on any number of different topics applicable to your needs may already be collected by the government and accessible either online or through an open records request. The government is constantly creating new databases and registries, ranging from expected statistics (related to population or transportation, for example) to seemingly obscure information about vending machine injuries or the ages of Atlantic salmon.

Building permits and building inspection records are useful public documents in various situations, including determining if a property owner has flouted local building codes, a landlord has not kept his property up to code or a company has illegally maintained waste or chemicals on their property.

Property tax assessment and payment records are useful documents for understanding a property owner’s financial situation and learning details of a particular property.

Mortgages are legal documents that evidence a lender’s rights to a property in exchange for a loan. Mortgages are a useful resource for learning how wealthy someone is, understanding a borrower’s future financial stability, and determining if a loan was obtained under questionable circumstances.